Birds fly south, following the riverbed that borders Guabuliga to the east. Embedded in the rolling hills of the Volta River system and Ghana’s northern tree savannah, a telecom tower pierces the sky above where two roads meet. Floating, static red lights appear above, to remain for the night as the TV’s continuous ramble picks up the fading cries from the football game on the ground.
Through a staged photo shoot portraying Guabuliga’s youth culture, I juxtaposed the specificity of the place with the momentary dislocation of the portraitees. A flash illuminates a volume defined by the reflections of whatever is being lit by the traveling light. This volume of light, captured in my portraits, is embedded in its reliance on a light-reflecting context, while the action of emitting a flash remains a dislocating gesture in itself.
The performative aspect of “do you come back tomorrow?” resulted from a disturbance of the evening peace in the village and preconceived ideals of village life.
